Hi, I'm a sheet metal troop working a restoration on a P-40. From what I'm told it is an E model, but I'm not sure.

Truth be told it seems I'm the only one with a hand in the project that's really interested in the authenticity of the restoration and the identity of the original aircraft. From what I understand no one is quite sure -what- the original tail number was, though there are two possibilities floating around. One has been researched and found as "sold for scrap" in 1948, the other seems to have been in the middle of long -lost-and-found-and-lost-again- game.

So, what I'm really asking here, what are some good ways to identify this ac? I was told that there was a number stamped on the lower left longeron in the cockpit (Customer Sequence Number) that would help, but unfortunately I can't find it. The whole thing is a bit corroded, not to mention it was gutted on the orginal restoration, and all I can find is where a plate used to be -no doubt taken as a souvenir- and to boot, it's on an upper longeron, not a lower one.

Hello, Rosie. First thing to look at when differentiating the "E" model from others is the number of guns in the wings. "D"s and earlier had only 4 guns in the wings. "E"s had 6. After that, it gets more difficult. Wiki actually has a pretty good overview. Look about 2/3 down the page.

Gordon Birkett, alias Gordy, found a way of identifying the P-40s via the c/n stamped on the rear cockpit bulkhead and on a number of items throughout the aircraft. Between he and Shane Johnston in Darwin they managed to identify a number of the P-40s used by the Provisional Squadrons and the 49th Fighter Group in the Darwin area.

Trust this assists - with due apologies to Gordon for 'dobbing' him in for extra wprk.